The present invention relates to a method for setting up data communication with a communication means, communication means therefor, set-up modules for communication means therefor, a test means therefor and furthermore a test module for a test means.
The requirements to be met by the ability of telecommunication terminals to communicate using different telecommunication protocols are becoming increasingly dynamic. For instance a personal computer, which has a sound board for voice input and output, may be equipped for VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) communication using suitable application software. The user of the personal computer must for this purpose download the application software from the Internet or from a memory or storage medium, as for example a CD-ROM, to his personal computer and install same with the aid of an installation program. So-called lower protocol layers are processed during the following VoIP communication by an operating system installed on the personal computer and higher protocol layers by the VoIP application software. The protocol layers may then for example be superposed in accordance with the so-called ISO (International Standardization Organization) model in seven layers on a so-called protocol stack. It may however happen that the newly installed VoIP application software processes protocol layers, which are already being processed by the operating system so that cooperation between the operating system and the VoIP application software free of collisions becomes impossible. The user of the personal computer would in such a case have to install VoIP application software, that does not cause such a problem. The location of such VoIP application software is however frequently a tedious operation for the user or often impossible. Furthermore the above mentioned installation may mean that the newly located VoIP software automatically replaces software components, as for instance library functions, by new software components, which are possibly incompatible with other software components installed on the personal computer. In another scenario application software for multimedia communication is installed on the personal computer so that the personal computer is able to transmit and receive pictures, voice and data. Normally the lnternet is employed for multimedia communication. For improved transmission quality it may however serve a good purpose to utilize a circuit switched telecommunication network as an alternative or in addition to the Internet. For this purpose the user must however know whether his communication partner has an terminal, capable of cooperating. Furthermore the user himself must switch over to the alternative transmission path.
Accordingly one object of the invention is to provide for convenient adaptation of a communication means to changing protocol requirements.
According to the invention, this object is attained by a method for setting up data communication with a first communication means, which possesses at least one (first) protocol module for data communication via at least one first layer of a communication protocol, the at least one (first) protocol module containing a program code able to be executed by a control means of the first communication means, comprising the steps of: transmitting by a second communication means at least one target protocol property of the at least one first or one second layer of the protocol for data communication with the first communication means to a test means; determining by the first communication means at least one (first) actual protocol property of the at least one first layer of the protocol, the layer of the protocol being able to be processed by the at least one (first) protocol module; transmitting by the first communication means to the test means the at least one (first) actual protocol property; comparing by the test means the at least one (first) actual protocol property with the target protocol property; and transmitting by the test means in a manner dependent on the respective result of an instruction for the execution of a subsequent action to the first and/or the second communication means.
The object of the invention is further attained by a setting up module for a first communication means for setting up data communication with the first communication means which comprises at least one first protocol module for communication via at least one first layer of a communication protocol, wherein; said at least one first protocol module and said set-up module respectively contain a program code able to be executed by a control means of the first communication means; the set-up module comprises recognition means for detection of at least one first actual protocol property of the at least one layer of the protocol, the layer being able to be processed by the at least one first protocol module; the set-up module comprises transmission means for transmission of the at least one first actual protocol property to a test means; and the set-up module possesses receiving means for receiving an instruction, in which the first communication means is instructed to execute a subsequent action in a manner dependent on the at least one first actual protocol property.
The object of the invention is further attained by a test module for a test means, the module containing: a program code able to be executed by a control means of the test means; receiving means for receiving at least one target protocol property of the at least one first or one second layer of the protocol for data communication with the first communication means, the receiving means being adapted to receive at least one (first) actual protocol property of the at least one first layer, able to be processed by the at least one (first) protocol module, of the protocol; comparison means for comparison of the at least one (first) actual protocol property with the target protocol property; and transmission means for the transmission of an instruction for the execution of a subsequent action to the first communication means and/or to a second communication means communicating with the first communication means, in a manner dependent of the respective result as determined by the comparison means.
The invention further resides in a set-up module for a second communication means for setting up data communication with a first communication means, the set-up module containing a program code able to be executed by a control means of the second communication means, the set-up module containing transmission means for the transmission of at least one target protocol property of at least one layer of a protocol for data communication with the first communication means to a test means.
The invention still further resides in a first communication means for setting up data communication with a second communication means, the first communication means comprising: at least one (first) protocol property for data communication via at least one first layer of a communication protocol, the at least one (first) protocol module comprising a program code able to be executed by a control means of the first communication means; recognition means (PMPA) for detection of at least one (first) actual protocol property of the at least one first layer, able to be processed by the at least one (first) protocol module, of the protocol; transmission means for the transmission of the at least one (first) actual protocol property to a test means; and receiving means for receiving of an instruction, in which the first communication means is instructed to perform a subsequent action in a manner dependent on the at least one (first) actual protocol property.
Still further, the invention resides in a test means for setting up data communication with a first communication means which comprises at least one (first) protocol module for data communication via at least one first layer of a communication protocol, said at least one (first) protocol module containing a program code able to be executed by a control means of the first communication means, the test means comprising: receiving means for receiving at least one target protocol property of the at least one first or of one second layer of the protocol for data communication with the first communication means, the receiving means being adapted for receiving at least one (first) actual protocol property of the at least one first layer, able to be processed by the at least one (first) actual protocol module, of the protocol; comparison means for comparison of the at least one (first) protocol property with the target protocol property; and transmission means for the transmission of an instruction for the performance of a subsequent action to the first and/or second communication means in a manner dependent on the respective result determined by the comparison means.
The invention further resides in a second communication means for setting up data communication with a first communication means, the set-up module comprising transmission means for the transmission of at least one target protocol property of at least one layer of a protocol for data communication with a first communication means to a test means.
In this respect one principle of the invention is that the different protocol layers of a protocol stack individually or partly in groups are to be processed in bundled manner by separate, interactive protocol modules, whose respective program code is executed by a processor of a first communication means, as for instance of a personal computer or a mobile telephone terminal. Prior to communication between the first communication means and a second communication means the respective requirements as regards the protocol stack of the first communication means, that is to say its target or desired properties, are determined and transmitted to a test means. The test means is for example a server of a telecommunication network or a program module, which is executed by the first and/or second communication means. Furthermore actual or real protocol properties of the protocol modules already present on the first communication means are transmitted to the test means. For modelling these properties, that is encoding these properties prior transmission, it is convenient to employ a so-called schema language, for example based on the RDF (Resource Description Framework) data model and schema language, in accordance with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Recommendation, typically using XML (extensible Markup Language) tags to encode and transmit the metadata information. The test means then compares the actual or true properties with the target properties and sends the communication means, in a manner dependent on the respectively determined result, an instruction for the performance of subsequent action, in which the communication means is instructed, for example, to install a new protocol module cooperating with the protocol modules already installed on the first communication means. Furthermore it is possible for the first communication means to be instructed in the instruction to activate such already-installed protocol modules, which support imminent communication in an optimum manner.
Accordingly in each case use is made in the communication means of the protocol modules which are optimum for communication. This is made possible in the invention on the one hand by the concept of protocol modules and on the other hand by the negotiation of their respective properties as a preliminary to a communication. Furthermore, it is possible for an installed communication means to be adapted to actual requirements in a simple fashion.
Adopting the principles of the first example mentioned the VoIP application software only provides the service and application functions, whereas protocol functions on protocol layers under the VoIP application are performed by protocol modules installed on the personal computer which may also support further applications. If later an updated version of the VoIP application software is installed on the personal computer, it is possible to make further use of the protocol modules so that no compatibility problems arise with other applications, which possibly employ these protocol modules as well.